Species Rheumaptera meadii - Barberry Geometer - Hodges#7290

7290

Barberry Looper (caterpillar)

Rheumaptera meadii (Packard, 1874)

Scotosia meadii Packard, 1874

Coryphista meadii (Packard, 1874)

Triphosa badiaria Edwards, 1885

Philereme optimata Strecker, 1899

Coryphista atlantica Munroe, 1954

Coryphista fumosa Comstock, 1967

Wingspan 30-36 mm

Adult has two forms: typical form is all dark brown like Tissue Moth (Triphosa haesitata); form "badiaria" has orangish-brown AM and ST bands; both forms have a sharper forewing apex than Tissue Moth, and a more jagged PM line with an especially prominent "tooth" near the costa; forewing has black discal spot just distad of AM line near costa; hindwing pale grayish-brown with variably distinct lines and toothed/wavy margin

all of United States and southern Canada

adults fly April-October; several broods

Larvae feed on barberry (Berberis spp.). (1)

This is an introduced shrub in most of eastern North America. The native American Barberry (Berberis canadensis) is rare in the southeastern states.

several generations per year in the south; fewer in the north

Egg; larva; adult

Tissue Moth (Triphosa haesitata) lacks black discal spot on forewing just distad of AM line near costa (compare images of both species at CBIF).

Moth Photographers Group (MPG)

Barcode of Life (BOLD)

3 adult images (Larry Line, Maryland)

live adult image of "badiaria" form (Steve Walter, New York)

pinned adult image of typical form (Dale Clark, Texas)

pinned adult image of "badiaria" form (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)

presence in California; list of 16 specimen records with dates and locations (U. of California at Berkeley)